The Wine-Dark Sea Within: A Turbulent History of Blood

William Harvey's discovery of blood circulation revolutionized the life sciences, leading to quantitative understanding of the cardiovascular system and lifesaving medical interventions.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 23 June 2022
Publisher: Basic Books

Inspired by Homer's vivid depiction of the ebb and flow of the wine-dark sea, the ancient Greeks envisioned a back-and-forth movement of blood. This notion, perpetuated by the influential Roman physician Galen, held sway for fifteen hundred years until William Harvey's groundbreaking discovery proved that blood circulates. Harvey's revelation revolutionized the life sciences, enabling a new quantitative understanding of the cardiovascular system. This way of thinking underpins many of our life-saving medical interventions today.

In his book, "The Wine-Dark Sea Within," cardiologist Dhun Sethna argues that Harvey's revelation marked the dawn of modern medicine and paved the way for groundbreaking advancements in various fields. These include intravenous therapy, cardiac imaging, stent insertions, bypass surgery, dialysis, and heart-lung machines.

Weaving together three thousand years of global history, Sethna traces the evolution of medicine, encompassing bitter feuds, epic alliances, tragic failures, and extraordinary advancements. This provocative history is written by a fresh voice in popular science, offering a captivating perspective on the evolution of medicine.

Weight: 600g
Dimension: 242 x 162 x 36 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781541600669